The BC Liberal government has released the number of wolves slaughtered in the 2016 wolf cull. 163 wolves were gunned down by helicopters in the South Peace and South Selkirk regions - almost twice as many as were killed in last year’s cull.

Wildlife Defence League condemns the BC Liberals and Bighorn Helicopters for their unethical, inhumane and unscientific war on wolves and their use of BC taxpayer dollars to fund this slaughter.

The BC Liberals blame wolves for a decline in caribou in both the South Peace and South Selkirk regions and have justified the wolf cull as a measure to save the endangered herds, but in reality it is habitat destruction through human activities, including mining, logging, and oil and gas exploration that is the root cause. In fact, the wolf cull was initially put forward by the forestry industry as a way to shift blame for the decline in caribou and avoid restrictions on logging activity.

Meanwhile, the BC Liberals have done little, if anything, to address the root causes for caribou decline. Instead, the herds continue to shrink - in the South Selkirk region they have diminished from 46 animals in 2009, to 18 in 2014, and by March of this year they’ve fallen further to 12. The reality in the South Peace region is just as grim, as the endangered herds there continue to dwindle as well.

Wildlife Defence League was on the ground in the South Selkirk region during this year’s cull, in an effort to monitor, document and expose its realities and the threats facing caribou. Crew members discovered disturbing details about the nature of the cull, including the government’s use of a collared “Judas” wolf, who is tracked back to his pack, only to see his family members slaughtered while he is left alive in order to lead government snipers to more wolves.

“That the government considers this cull to be “humane” is beyond disturbing. It’s time the BC Liberals listen to and align with independent science and the vast majority of British Columbians who strongly oppose the scapegoating of wolves.” said Tommy Knowles, Campaign Director for Wildlife Defence League. “We are calling on the BC government and Bighorn Helicopters to end the cull and reallocate those resources to genuine caribou habitat protection and restoration.”